The Role of a Dispatcher

Submitted by blogger on Mon, 2014/06/30 - 3:06pm

One of the most important people in the trucking world is the dispatcher. In many ways, the entire shipping process would fall apart if not for what the dispatcher did. The dispatcher is the main source of communication to the truck driver about the coordination of the freight shipment. They are the connection between the driver and the shipper, after booking it through the freight forwarder.

A daily schedule for a dispatcher features major coordination projects. They must assign freight shipments, trucks and driving routes to the drivers. Meanwhile, during this process, the dispatcher must be very organized. Communication is key for the dispatcher, as is keeping track of all of the details. The dispatcher must organize all of the shipping documents and handle the required record keeping. They must log all shipping details on the computer. The dispatcher looks out for the shipper by making sure that the shipment goes out on time to where it has to go. The dispatcher looks out for the shipping carrier by optimizing the cost to be in budget and on time. The dispatcher plays a big role in safety by scheduling the drivers and any maintenance for the trucks. A dispatcher could be an entire team of people who handle a region or a single person for a small company. They communicate to the truck drivers by using electronic devices.

The next time you get an instant freight quote, understand that the dispatcher plays a big role in making sure the freight goes out on time.